MCTFisher9120

We caught a bunch of those high 3lb with several in the low to mid 4lb range. It's amazing how big some of them look but in reality your looking at a 3lb 11oz fish when in reality guys say they are 4lbr's blah blah we have seen it and heard it. I weigh the first few to get my bearings straight then don't bother unless I know it's over 4lb's then I'll check and see.

I forgot that part, almost 80% of what I caught this year was 5-100yards away from spots i hit last year, fish definitely set up different spots within most areas.

I did better this August than August last summer…Although I did 2 weeks, my first week was better for largemouth overall than August 2013. Can't comment much on bass opener and july, didn't get out much just a few day trips.

All I did at the time was fish for bass. I logged in and made the name my initials but it didn't look good…And MikeTheBassFisher was a big name but I wrote down all I did or thought about haha….MTBF kind of stuck, I get a yell from across the store every now and then "MikeTheBassFisher hows it goin??

Nice smallies, sure are fun to catch!

That's awesome Mike, what trip man you take some unreal pictures. Good fishin! MTBF

It's fun, pop the hook dangle it and get the picture in. Thanks for the comment Mike, I'm no touring pro remember that

This is nice to see. Almost all rods taken in have been casted many many times and caught and landed fish. What Shimano wants to do is build better stronger rods and a 1year warranty is part of this. Defects and problems with the rod will become apparent the first or 2nd time on the water. They want to stop taking broken rods in that take damage from rod lockers, doors etc. If the rod is bruised or hit on the blank it creates a weak point on the blank and this is why they break. Warranty? I think not, user error breaks rods. I broke a St Croix few years ago, the rod was 2 years old and took a hit near the tip section. In order for better products to hit the market they need to tone the warranty down because there is to much cost factored into it. The new Crucial's I tried on my camping trip and was I ever impressed. After the rod has been used, casted and such it should never break, once a rod has hit the side of the boat, tailgate whatever that is me and you who caused a problem with the blank. You get 1 full year of grace, after that were out of luck. It's nice to see less waste, many guys replace 2-10 sticks a year as new models come out the break the tips and never have to pay. It was handy but no more will Shimano kiss ass for us the consumer. Take care of your equipment and it will last a lifetime. Good job Shimano, your reels have never failed me and I'll continue to use both G.Loomis and Shimano rods. My cumara is the black IM-10….I remember how many I saw "break" when the red ones came out, the sad thing is I like older versions of most rods. Suck it up guys, the new crucials crush the old ones and this 1year warranty is going to put stronger better rods on the market. My Expride 7'1H has the same warranty and has seen 15+ days use. Unless I hit it off something it won't break, or unless I overload it on a snag. Tightlines, not surprised to see these posts MTBF

Nothing better than time away, got to start trying out the US lakes in the coming years. Thanks for sharing! MTBF

Haha love it, many of the fish had the baits chocked, almost all frog fish popped the hook out and show it off…and sometimes on plastic the fish lost r on me so some normal pics mixed in also. I've always been one to show what baits I catch fish on some guys hide that Thanks for the kind comments Thanks to the other guys as well! Was a blast!

Hello everybody here on OFC, it's mid August once again and I just got back tonight from 2 fantastic weeks of fishing a few hours north east of here on my favourite lakes. We showed up on the first Saturday in August and had awesome weather until this past Wednesday. We had 25-30degree days and full sun with little cloud. It was hot at times but I fish hard from 5am on the water until 6 or 7pm at night. I take breaks and bring out either my Dad, Brother or Uncle once a day sometimes twice depending how tired they get but I'm doing what I enjoy and it doesn't tire me out it seems. Here we go starting with the first bass of the trip lot's of these bass were caught on a variety of baits. My success for largemouth primarily came on 3 things, the PTL swim bait and 3.5" TRJ that I've sworn by for the last 3 or 4 years, the froggy's by Snag Proof and last Megabass poppers and jerk baits. I finally got into smallmouth action this year on some tubes jerk baits and top waters in the early and late parts of the day. Day 1, we arrived by noon and got on the water for 5pm after setting up camp the first day, awesome little place near the lakes edge. Here was #1 of the trip working some deeper weed while moving towards the slop. Day two started out well, got up early as normal and worked a big clump of pads on the small lake, got this one a few ounces under 4lbs Later in the day I went out after breakfast working a upper part of a stretch I had success in the previous season. Paid off with this nice big largemouth just under 5lbs The afternoon produced some smaller bass but this one was enough for me. Next day was when the big largemouth of the trip showed up, hit the nickel mark. What a awesome largemouth bass! Not to much later this one popped the froggy! Next day was slow as the temps rose, I got this nice little chunky bass on the popper early on. Got them around this size all day with most in the 1.5-2lb range. I then wanted to search for smallmouth with the new equipment I picked up, throwing straight 10lb fluoro on the 6'8, didn't loose a fish all trip and picked my times to throw the arrangement of baits. Worked well First smallie on the jerk bait in August, had to try something else and it escalated into a bunch of nice fish! And another quick one on the jerk bait. Went down to the boat for a half hour after dinner went down to the boat throwing topwater ad got a nice bass. Had dad come down and take a pic while I tested my live well I ran for 2 or 3 mornings worked well. Morning once again got this big smallie out deep on a tube outside of camp. This morning I took my uncle out for a 3 or 4 hours, we did smallmouth for the first hour and I got 3 culled one as I wanted just 4 in the well for the morning for a picture, the aerator and pump made those fish so hard to grab the handful of ice and constant change of water was key. We got 5 that morning 3 to my credit and 2 to his. Was a blast! Was frogging all afternoon and got the big smallmouth bass of the trip out off the deep rock, wind was blowing right and the fish was there…can't wait to get a fish finder in the boat next year, forgot it at home but made due just fine And the fight of my life was on, there nuts the jerk bait and fish jumped 4 feet out of the lake boat side then so many head shakes above water I thought I had a heart attack haha Next morning I nailed my first good swim bait fish, gave me all the confidence I needed to stick with it some days. My 2 for the morning, good one on topwater and the swim bait. Was a happy man haha. Dad with his first good one of the trip, was quick on the trolling motor and net when the fish was on pumped for him. I got him by a pound or so Nice one flipping the cover behind the frog. Later my uncle got onto a nice largemouth Got the popper out the love the small baits sometimes! She was chunky(same fish) Later on, big largemouth. Flippin the cover, I like the 3/4oz tungsten for this stuff always and 22lb fluorocarbon Big one of the following day for me. My uncle once again with a dandy largemouth. They fight hard when they use the heavy spinning gear. Smallmouth action, they fight so hard. 3.5" FoodChain Tube on 12lb braid Frogging a big pad bed only bite in the bay but worth the half hour pass through before breakfast [/url Yes I fished in the downpours most of the day when the cold front hit haha Haha my uncle with a Pike, first fish on a bait caster…there getting better Taking a break it was awful but better than sitting in a tent complaining Big Pike Nice smallmouth on the tube, made the day for me Dad with a nice bucket in the rain later on after the boys switched up and I stuck it out. Weather was ok the next day, here was a largemouth in the afternoon slow morning all small ones. Yes not a Black Blue Red Flake craw like always, tried the Green Pumpkin Purple Flake and it got me 2 nice bites, this one in 3-6ft deep fast current and rocks. He liked it too, great fight made that day end right! Last morning, Friday it was. Good one in the cold brrr was 10 or 12 degrees wasn't impressed waking up O well had a job to do, fishin time. Dad with one later on Friday morning And I got the last one of the trip. Was a blast and what a crazy weather change we went through. O well had fun and can't wait to get back. Putting my foot up on the dock post on the last night…Take a break guys, it's well worth it you only live once. Thanks for looking and reading, good fishin! MTBF

Great report, looked like a blast. It's a great feeling bringing somebody out and watching them catch rush and have a blast! Awesome pics Thanks for sharing! MTBF

Nice report buddy, thats quite the experience…got to do a drive-in/fly-in next year somewhere far north. Great pictures MTBF

Braid is excellent for topwater…maybe for Spook style baits it's not ideal but I use 12lb Sunline SX1 Braid exclusively for 1/4oz 2" Poppers…The distance I get is impeccable, maybe it's the way the NRX802S loads up I don't know. Only issue with braid and top waters are if you throw braid that's too thin the line will catch on the treble hooks on a few casts each morning. I don't do it because of my confidence with the line, lure, and rod however it is a time kill once in a while. I also hate a knot that bumps guides in any rod. The solution is to add a 2-3ft chunk of 12lb-20lb Mono, the stiffer mono stops the hang-ups. I still prefer straight braid, as others said your hook set what that bait goes under is important and that no stretch helps. Slop Frogs and Topwater are part of the same club and for this if your not using Braid your not catching 95% of your bites in the slop…I guarantee it For the PowerPro, I would always suggest the Spectra Braid vs the Super Slick. Before I found Sunline SX1 and FX2, and there Fluorocarbons MossGreen PowerPro ruled. The SX1 is just a tighter, longer lasting braid. From 12lb to 40lb I've had nothing but success. Read up MTBF

Thanks for the reply's! No the walleyes were off in the weed line, they were just munching the craw and 5/0 hook lol. We were in 9-11ft approaching the thick weed line, I could feel maybe 1ft of weed down deep not much out on the edge we were on.

The ones I have are all "older" ones. I will fish some of these new model's with the eye ball and see if the quality has changed.

Didn't have to say it myself, smallies love them that's for sure…Had several boat side smashes over 20ft of water last september they were on fire, the blade spins better than any I've seen, a cheap spinnerbait catches fish than wares out…these don't, look at the big hook, the blades, wire, spring, glitter type designs they work…and I should of kept that pic a secret Can't wait to get back, I didn't fish them much kind of forgot about the trailer hook thing. I have since added 2 packs of them onto my dozen blades I own. 7am, big wind cold september day do they ever crush blades! MTBF

I like a good spinnerbait, Nichols Pulsators. R style bend, with the 16lb and 20lb Fluoro I use I've had the knot slide down 1 or 2 times over the last 2 seasons. It stays in it's spot, I do a aggressive "snap" of the rod when the blade hits the water so it runs straight. Here is a picture of one, I've had Strike King and Booyas rust out, blades turn bad, have had the wire pop from the lead on them. Spend the extra 2 coffees on one and give them a go. The glitter on the blades is awesome, love the detail, the blades spin great, there is a spring also on them.

What a camp, looks like you fixed r up good TJ, enjoy the summer and thanks for sharing! Got to get a spot like that somewhere someday

Hey everybody on OFC, it's been a little while since my last report. This past spring I did a little trout fishing on the creek using small spinners, quik-fish crank baits mostly I caught some decent fish landed some rainbows and had much more fun than sitting inside! Finally walleye opener then bass opener came. I got out once or twice prior to bass opener and caught some walleye on each trip, not many but a few every time on buck tails and crank baits. I went up to Rice with a friend of mine and had a great bass opener, we were fishing a team style tournament the next day. We caught a few nice bass at each spot on Saturday did the milk run the next day and the fish were gone, it was a tough go but late afternoon I managed to pop 3 largies on the frog and swinging hammer swim bait and we got to weigh in some bass, was a great experience can't wait to do it again next year! Here we go on our way to the launch Before blasting off, my friends dad was nice enough to lend the boat for the day. What a cool design for a deep v aluminum 19' if I remember right. Blast off time! Here are some pics from my most recent trip out. First of the morning, I'm trying to catch some largies and were finding walleye haha And another, this one was over the slot I believe by a inch or 2 Here is my friend from the shop who brought me out with a 25" Walleye, such a blast on the heavy line and TRJ, his first ever he put the buck tail down after I caught the first 2 We tucked into a channel later in the day and caught a dozen or so largies all a between 1 and 2lbs had a blast, here was one of the nicer largies on the swim bait. Well that's it for now, we were out again this past week and caught just 5 or 6 bass no walleye and I landed a decent Musky. I'm about 2 1/2 weeks away from my annual camping and fishing trip, 2 weeks on this one so stay tuned for a report on August 17th Get out there while summer is still here! Tightlines MTBF

Get a pizza at the pizza place and drink a cold beer at Rhino's while waiting…always a good plan!

I think thursdays nights they do a special on wings…last thursday there was like 50-70 people

Rhinos is good for wings…other food like that…Bewdley Pizza is good also, look for the triangle building